Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Our editor and seasoned photo expert

Lauren Scott answers your questions and

queries for buying and selling pro camera kit

Buying: Macro lens

Sigma 105mm f/2.8

I want to shoot flowers, but I

don’t have a macro lens –

only a Sigma 24-105mm f/4

lens. Is a macro lens worth

the financial investment?

Susan Hall

You can certainly photograph flowers with your

existing lens, but you’ll need to think carefully

about the best way to shoot successful

images. I’d suggest you work at the 105mm

end of your zoom, get down low and look

for angles where there is enough distance

between the flower and background.

That being said, a macro lens is brilliant

for getting more creative, so I’d always

recommend owning one if your budget allows.

Sigma makes a high-quality 105mm specialist

macro lens (the f/2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM)

that can capture objects on the sensor at the

exact same size that the object is in real life.

This lens would enable you to concentrate on

interesting flower details and abstracts that

your zoom lens can’t achieve as you can’t

focus closely enough.

BEST FEATURES

Built-in optical stabiliser

Powerful large aperture

GREAT FOR

Handheld macro shooting

Wildlife, flora and fauna

Gear advice

Ask me a

question

lauren.scott@

futurenet.com

(Use the subject line:

Buy and sell)

o camera kit

ows.

alist

SM)

the

fe.

on

at

I’m clearing out lots of my

old or unused camera

accessories. Where‘s the

best place to sell them?

Kitsia Johnson

There are many different options when it

comes to selling your camera gear, and not all

of them are online. If you’re lucky enough to

know plenty of professional photographers –

or have friends and family who are interested

in taking pictures – then a private sale will

be likely to bring in the highest price. This is

because you won’t have to factor in the cost

of commission for selling that occurs through

platforms such as eBay. In my experience,

if you sell to someone you know they often

expect a ‘mate’s rate’. Plus, they’re likely to

let you know if anything goes wrong with the

gear after you’ve sold it to them.

Posting a free online advert on a site

such as Gumtree is another simple option,

but without targeting your specific market

it could take a long time to sell particularly

niche accessories. As well as being free, you

can probably deliver your items (or arrange

for a local collection) so that you don’t incur

hefty postage costs.

Auction sites like eBay are an obvious

option for selling gear, but the fees payable –

which

include PayPal –

can considerably eat into your takings. I like

selling smaller items such as filters through

eBay, but always list items when there’s a

special offer on fees.

Many high street camera retailers also

buy used accessories, but they too build a

commission into the price they offer. If you

don’t have the time or inclination to sell

accessories yourself, though, this is probably

the quick and efficient way to shift things.

Selling solutions:

Online vs private sales

Right

Selling online

Camera retailers – both online and on the

high street – are buying your kit to sell it on

again, so you’ll probably make less money

than you would with a private sale

hrough

nce,

often

ly to

ithttthe

e

w

i

can considerably eat into your takings. I like

S

tailers – both o

• are buying yo
  ou’ll probably m
  an you would w

which

include PayPala –

can considerably eat into yourttakakiningsgs I like

Right

Selling online

online and on the

our kit to sell it on

make less money

with a private sale

GEAR ADVICE

Oureditorandseasonedphotoexpert

LaurenScottanswersyourquestionsand

queriesforbuyingandsellingprocamerakit

Buying: Macro lens

I wanttoshoot flowers,butI

don’thavea macrolens–

onlya Sigma24-105mmf/4

lens.Isa macro lensworth

thefinancialinvestment?

SusanHall

Youcancertainlyphotographflowerswithyour

existinglens,butyou’llneedtothinkcarefully

aboutthebestwaytoshootsuccessful

images.I’dsuggestyou workatthe105mm

endofyourzoom,getdownlowandlook

forangleswherethereis enoughdistance

betweentheflowerand background.

Thatbeingsaid,a macrolensisbrilliant

forgettingmorecreative, soI’dalways

recommendowningoneif yourbudgetallo

Sigmamakesa high-quality105mmspeci

macrolens(thef/2.8MacroEXDGOSHS

thatcancaptureobjectsonthesensorat

exactsamesizethattheobjectisinreallif

Thislenswouldenableyoutoconcentrate

interestingflowerdetailsandabstractstha

yourzoomlenscan’tachieveasyoucan’t

focuscloselyenough.

BESTFEATURES

Built-inopticalstabiliser

Powerfullargeaperture

GREATFOR

Handheldmacroshooting

Wildlife, flora and fauna

Gear advice

Ask me a

question

lauren.scott@

futurenet.com

(Use the subject line:

Buy and sell)

o camera kit

ows.

alist

SM)

the

fe.

on

at

I’mclearingout lots of my

oldorunused camera

accessories.Where‘s the

bestplacetosell them?

KitsiaJohnson

Therearemanydifferent options when it

comestosellingyour camera gear, and not all

ofthemareonline.If you’re lucky enough to

knowplentyofprofessional photographers –

orhavefriendsandfamily who are interested

intakingpictures– then a private sale will

belikelytobringinthe highest price. This is

becauseyouwon’thave to factor in the cost

of commission for selling that occurst

platforms such as eBay. In my experie

if you sell to someone you know theyo

expect a ‘mate’s rate’. Plus, they’relike

let you know if anything goes wrongw

gear after you’ve sold it to them.

Posting a free online advert on asite

such as Gumtree is another simpleoption,

but without targeting your specificmarket

it could take a long time to sell particularly

niche accessories. As well as being free, you

can probably deliver your items (or arrange

for a local collection) so that you don’t incur

hefty postage costs.

Auction sites like eBay are an obvious

option for selling gear, but the fees payable –

y y g

sellingsmalleritemssuchasfiltersthrough

eBay,butalwayslistitemswhenthere’sa

special offer on fees.

Many high street camera retailers also

buy used accessories, but they too build a

commission into the price they offer. If you

don’t have the time or inclination to sell

accessories yourself, though, this is probably

the quick and efficient way to shift things.

Selling solutions:

Online vs private sales

Cameraret

high street–

again,soyo

tha

hrough

nce,

often

ly to

iththe

e

w

i

canconsiderablyeatintoyourtakings.I like

S

tailers– botho

• arebuyingyo
  ou’ll probablym
  anyou wouldw

which

includePayPala –

can considerably eat into yourtakkininggs I like

Right

Sellingonline

onlineandonthe

urkit tosellit on

makelessmoney

with a privatesale

GEAR ADVICE